For years, Donald Tusk has argued that he holds a strong position on the European stage. During one of his speeches, he famously declared, “No one will outplay me in Europe.” A new poll, however, shows that Poles are clearly divided on the issue. While just over half of respondents believe the prime minister is respected by European leaders, an almost equally large group holds the opposite view.
Poll Reveals How the “King of Europe” Is Viewed
In a survey conducted by United Surveys by IBRiS for Wirtualna Polska, respondents were asked whether Donald Tusk is respected by the leaders of other European countries.
A total of 52.2% answered yes. Of those, 20.9% chose “definitely yes,” while 31.3% selected “rather yes.”
At the same time, 40.2% of respondents disagreed. “Definitely not” was chosen by 21.3%, while 18.9% answered “rather not.” Another 7.6% said they had no opinion.
Government and Opposition Voters See It Very Differently
The detailed results reveal a clear political divide.
Among supporters of the governing coalition, as many as 88% believe the prime minister is respected by European leaders. By contrast, opposition voters overwhelmingly take the opposite view. As many as 81% of respondents in this group believe Donald Tusk does not enjoy such respect, with half selecting “definitely not.”
Supporters of Confederation (Konfederacja) were even more critical. In that group, 86% gave a negative assessment of the prime minister’s standing on the European stage.
The Slogan Returns With Another Poll
Donald Tusk has repeatedly highlighted his experience in European politics. One of his most memorable remarks came during his policy speech to parliament, when he declared, “No one will outplay me in Europe.”
The latest survey, however, suggests that Poles remain divided over the prime minister’s current standing among European leaders. Although just over half of respondents believe Donald Tusk enjoys their respect, four in ten hold the opposite opinion.
The United Surveys by IBRiS poll for Wirtualna Polska was conducted between June 12 and June 14, 2026, using a mixed CAWI/CATI methodology on a representative sample of 1,000 adult Poles.